Awakenings: The Rise of an Empire

First Hunt/Discovery

 Annie

     I looked through the vast forest in front of us, I could see as clearly as if it were daylight. It was alive and vibrant, Kristoph reached for my hand and we began to run at lightning speed through the trees, and I could feel we were not alone. My senses were alive, I could see for miles and hear every sound imaginable. The night air assaulted my smell and pulled at the innate instincts within me. Kristoph’s grip tightens, when I looked at him, he stared at me in awe. Never would I have thought in a thousand years that I would move through the forest like it was second nature.

I could see the forest break in the distance, we were close to the edge when I heard large paws approaching breaking through the brush. My muscles bunched in reaction to the sound and I came to a complete halt pulling Kristoph to a complete stop. I crouched purely from instinct and prepared myself to attack.

     Three things happened at once, Kristoph stepped in front of me to stop my attack, I froze, and a huge chocolate brown wolf emerged from the trees before my eyes.  Kristoph raised his hands in a non-threatening manner to try to calm me down. Annie, it is okay, listen to me, you are not in danger. Then I heard it, Marcus’s voice in my head. “Annie, it’s me, Marcus……”

Marcus

     By the time I dropped Matt and Dannie at their homes I was so consumed with rage my hands were shaking. All I saw was red. I pulled into my driveway and felt the need to escape the confines of the car. My body felt like it was going to combust, I felt a heat surge throughout me like nothing before. I had to escape. I exited the car and began to run towards the house. Once I reached my room I collapsed. 

     My body burned so bad I wanted to pull my skin off. It jolted me awake, I looked out my window and nighttime had come.  I slept away the whole day. The burning intensified and I felt the need to escape. I ran straight toward the forest behind my house.  When I reached the protective covering of the forest trees I collapsed. I began to feel excruciating pain throughout my body. I screamed in agony as I felt each one of my bones began to break and contort. My face began to elongate, I felt my canines extend, and when I looked down at my hands, they changed to enormous paws. Then I heard a voice inside my head…

     “Marcus calm down…we are changing. I am Batair, your wolf.”

     “My what?! Great I’m dying and losing my mind.” I let out one last scream and the pain stopped. I stood up on four huge legs. My senses began to take over, Batair began to speak to me again.

      “We were born a wolf, an Alpha, and an appointed protector by the goddess Selene. The moment she changed it spurred your change. We must go be by her side.” 

     I began to fly through the forest towards an invisible magnetic pull. As the pull strengthened, I could feel a mink-link connect and Annie’s face appeared in my mind. I flew at an inhuman speed towards my goal.

Annie

     “Marcus, how? How can I hear you in my mind?” 

     "He's your protector, he was born to protect you, and you to protect him." Annie turned and stared at Kristoph wide-eyed…”

     “Protector, can he hear me, what I’m thinking.”

     “I can hear you, through our mind link, and I can hear what you are saying out loud. I am Batair, Marcus’ wolf, I am your guardian. I was created to protect you.”

    The huge wolf approached, then slowly laid his huge head on my shoulder. I ran my fingers through his soft fur, instantly I felt at peace. Though there were thousands of questions running through my mind.

     "Annie let's hunt, we are not safely exposed like this,” Kristoph stated worriedly as he scanned the forest for any imminent danger. Marcus sniffed the air and nudged Annie forward. The three moved through the covering at the edge of the forest with lighting speed. Soon they found several promising targets outside a dive bar at the edge of town. Marcus stayed within the confines of the trees and began to hunt himself.

Slowly Annie and Kristoph approached their target in the parking lot behind the bar. Suddenly instinct took over and Annie slowly approached a huge-looking biker leaning against the building. She smiled at him slyly and he willingly smiled back. In the flash of a second, she had him pinned against the wall. She stared into his eyes and said, “you will not remember any of this.”  His eyes began to glass over, and Annie slowly sank her fangs into his neck. The relief she felt was instant, when she reached her fill, she sealed his wound smiled, and walked away. It was as simple as learning to walk.  

     After Annie and Kristoph finished hunting they rejoined Marcus at the edge of the forest. The three began heading towards the mansion. This time they felt the presence of others around them. Annie heard large paws, and lighter footsteps flying swiftly across the forest floor.

     Kristoph reached for her hand and squeezed it lightly to reassure her. “Stay calm, the sounds you hear are friendly. They are here to protect us, and Marcus.” Annie nodded somehow; she knew they were not in any danger.

     Once the three reached the main gate that led to the mansion, a young servant approached them and stood at the entrance with clothing in his hand. “Good evening Your highnesses and Alpha,” he said with a small bow.  “Alpha these clothes are for you. Your parents are waiting to meet you in the gathering room.” He bowed one last time and headed towards the house.

     Marcus accepted the clothing and slowly began to shift. He swiftly covered himself. “What now, we’re just supposed to go in there and have a family reunion with these people we don’t know! I am still adjusting to the reality of being a werewolf, an Alpha at that! That you are a vampire, and I was born to protect you! I do not know if I am ready for some com bi yah meeting. I do not know if I can accept what they have to say.” 

     Annie reached for Marcus’ hand; he slowly intertwined his fingers with hers. “We will do this together, you and I. Kristoph will be there with us as well. I need his support as much as you need my support right now. I have a thousand questions as well, no one is saying this will be easy. They will have to accept whatever emotions this brings out and we must be willing to accept whatever their reasons were. Now we need to go get this over with and meet our parents.”